Wow, it really does. It looks like a Photoshop job--I'm not saying it is, of course, I'm just saying it's strikingly vivid. B.B. must have very good skin. When I got my tattoos, both tattoo artists asked me the same question: "You're Irish, aren't you?" I'm not, but they assumed I was because my skin was so ill-suited for tattooing, as Irish skin apparently is. (I have no idea whether Irish skin is really that bad; I'm just reporting what they told me.)

woah! how does it look after the scarring? That seems like it really freaking hurt.

Here's what it looks like right now, however many months later:

The pain was not bad. Scalpel, so the incision didn't hurt at all. Used standard sterile protocol for any professional body mod. No anesthetic, no booze. Some discomfort when the tattoo got filleted out, but nothing significant. Lots of blood, though. My girlfriend nearly barfed as she watched.

It hurt more as it healed, but again, not bad. Took a few months, and it seems to be getting lighter all the time. I would not recommend it for large tattoos for obvious reasons, but for small stuff, it's a quick alternative to expensive, protracted laser sessions.

Here's what it looks like right now, however many months later:
The pain was not bad. Scalpel, so the incision didn't hurt at all. Used standard sterile protocol for any professional body mod. No anesthetic, no booze. Some discomfort when the tattoo got filleted out, but nothing significant. Lots of blood, though. My girlfriend nearly barfed as she watched.
It hurt more as it healed, but again, not bad. Took a few months, and it seems to be getting lighter all the time. I would not recommend it for large tattoos for obvious reasons, but for small stuff, it's a quick alternative to expensive, protracted laser sessions.
A couple onlookers suggested sending the intact "name" flesh to my ex-wife. I demurred.

It was done by a friend in the body modification industry who's done flesh removal and scarification in the past and who I trusted to scrupulously observe any appropriate antiseptic measures. (Not trying to be deliberately cryptic, it's just not something that's legal to do on a professional basis here, and even though he was doing it for free, don't want to potentially cause him any issues. )

It was done by a friend in the body modification industry who's done flesh removal and scarification in the past and who I trusted to scrupulously observe any appropriate antiseptic measures. (Not trying to be deliberately cryptic, it's just not something that's legal to do on a professional basis here, and even though he was doing it for free, don't want to potentially cause him any issues. )

Loud and clear, very cool. I am getting a smaller piece of mine partially blacked out and thought that would be cool. Though I'm sure I'd need to be sufficiently shitfaced to actually go through with it, and I'm pretty sure that wouldn't bode well.

Loud and clear, very cool. I am getting a smaller piece of mine partially blacked out and thought that would be cool. Though I'm sure I'd need to be sufficiently shitfaced to actually go through with it, and I'm pretty sure that wouldn't bode well.

I have no idea what your state or local body mod laws are like - I seem to remember NYC getting kind of peppery about tattoo shops a while back - but anyone who can do relatively precise scarification would presumably be able to physically remove a small tattoo without undue hassle as long as it's legal where you're at. (It's honestly not that bad at all, the big thing was just keeping it clean while it healed and avoiding bloodstains on my dress shirts.)

dron, one of my friends used to manage gaijin houses in Japan and had several traditional Japanese pieces. Unfortunately, he died just before Christmas in a motorcycle accident in Thailand, so he's not around for me to ask him.